Housing Starts Slightly Down, Building Permits Up (Marketwatch)

U.S. housing starts fell 5.8% in March to an annual rate of 654,000 from a slightly revised 649,000 in February, the Commerce Department reports. Economists had forecast an increase to an annual rate of 703,000. However, building permits climb 4.5% to 747,000 from a revised 715,000 in February.